That was because “they opposed Allah and His Messenger,” showing enmity toward them both, waging war against them, and striving to disobey them.
This is His customary way and established practice with those who oppose Him: “Whoever opposes Allah should know that Allah is severe in punishment.”
When Banū al-Nadīr reproached the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—and the Muslims for cutting down the date palms and other trees, alleged that this constituted corruption, and used this (1) as a means of disparaging the Muslims, the Exalted stated that whether they cut down the date palms or left them standing, it was done by His permission and command, “so that He might disgrace the defiantly disobedient.” He gave you power to cut down and burn their date palms so that this would serve as a deterrent punishment for them, bring them disgrace in this world, and subject them to humiliation that exposed their utter helplessness: they could not even save the date palms that were the basis of their livelihood. The word līnah encompasses all varieties of date palm, according to the soundest and most fitting interpretation. Such was the plight of Banū al-Nadīr and the way Allah punished them in this world.
He then mentioned those to whom their wealth and possessions passed, saying: “Whatever Allah restored to His Messenger from them”—that is, from the people of this settlement, namely Banū al-Nadīr.
“For” you, O Muslims, “did not spur”—that is, drive, hasten, or muster—“against it any horses or camels.” In other words, you did not toil to obtain it, whether yourselves or with your livestock. Rather, Allah cast terror into their hearts, and so it came to you freely and with complete ease. Hence He said: “But Allah gives His messengers authority over whomever He wills, and Allah has power over all things.” Part of His perfect power is that no one can resist Him (2), nor can any strong person maintain his might against Him.
In the terminology of the jurists, property restored to the Muslims without battle means wealth rightfully taken from the disbelievers without fighting, such as this property, which they fled and abandoned out of fear of the Muslims. It is described as “restored” because it returned from the disbelievers, who were not entitled to it, to the Muslims, who had the greater right to it.
Its general ruling is as Allah stated in the broadly applicable words: “Whatever Allah has restored to His Messenger from the people of the towns,” whether Allah granted it during the lifetime of His Messenger or afterward to whoever assumed responsibility for his community after him (3).
“It belongs to Allah and the Messenger, to close relatives, orphans, the poor, and stranded travelers.” This verse parallels the one in Sūrat al-Anfāl, found in (4) His words: “Know that whatever spoils you acquire, one-fifth belongs to Allah and the Messenger, to close relatives, orphans, the poor, and stranded travelers.”
This property obtained without battle is divided into five shares:
One-fifth belongs to Allah and His Messenger and is spent on the [general] interests of the Muslims. One-fifth is for the close relatives, namely Banū Hāshim and Banū al-Muttalib, whose males and females were treated equally [in it]. Banū al-Muttalib shared with Banū Hāshim in the kinsfolk’s share of the statutory one-fifth, whereas the rest of Banū Abd Manāf did not, because they joined Banū Hāshim in entering the mountain pass when Quraysh entered into a pact to boycott them and show them hostility (5). Thus, unlike the others, they supported the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace. The Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—therefore said concerning Banū Abd al-Muttalib: “They never forsook me, whether before Islam or after its advent.”
One-fifth is for poor orphans, meaning those whose fathers have died and who have not yet reached maturity. One-fifth is for the poor, and one share is for stranded travelers: strangers ⦗851⦘ cut off from their means while away from their homelands.
Allah apportioned it in this manner and restricted this property to those specified “so that it does not merely circulate”—that is, pass back and forth and remain exclusively—“among the rich among you.” Had He not apportioned it thus, the wealthy and powerful would have circulated it among themselves, while the weak would have received none of it. This would entail harms known only to Allah, just as obedience to Allah’s command and law entails benefits beyond enumeration.
Allah therefore enjoined the comprehensive rule and universal principle, saying: “Whatever the Messenger gives you, accept it; and whatever he forbids you, refrain from it.” This encompasses the fundamentals and subsidiary matters of the religion, both outward and inward. Whatever the Messenger brought must be accepted and followed by Allah’s servants, and it is unlawful to oppose it. The Messenger’s explicit ruling on any matter carries the same authority as Allah the Exalted’s explicit ruling. No one has any dispensation or excuse to abandon it, nor may anyone’s opinion be placed before his.
Allah then commanded fear of Him, through which hearts and souls [and this world and the Hereafter] flourish, everlasting happiness and the supreme triumph are attained, and without which there is eternal misery and unending punishment. He said: “Fear Allah. Allah is indeed severe in punishment” toward those who abandon fear of Him and choose instead to follow their desires.
(8) The Exalted then explained the wisdom and compelling reason for assigning the property obtained without battle to those for whom He apportioned it: they truly deserve assistance and are entitled to receive it.
They consist, on the one hand, of Emigrants who abandoned all that they loved and to which they were accustomed—their homes and homelands, loved ones and close companions, and wealth—seeking Allah, supporting His religion, and loving His Messenger. These are the truthful: they acted in accordance with their faith and substantiated it through righteous deeds and arduous acts of worship. They are unlike those who claim faith but do not substantiate it through jihad, emigration, and other acts of worship.
On the other hand, they consist of the Helpers—the Aws and the Khazraj—who believed in Allah and His Messenger willingly, lovingly, and by free choice. They gave refuge to the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—and defended him against all people, Arab and non-Arab. They settled in the abode of emigration and faith until it became a haven and place of return for the believers, a refuge for the Emigrants, and a sanctuary in which the Muslims could dwell, while all other lands were lands of war, polytheism, and evil.
The supporters of the religion therefore continued to seek refuge with the Helpers until Islam spread and grew strong. It continued to increase gradually and grow little by little, until they conquered hearts through knowledge, faith, and the Quran, and conquered lands with sword and spear.
Among their noble qualities was that “they love those who emigrated to them.” Because they loved Allah and His Messenger, they loved those whom He loved and those who supported His religion.
“They find no desire in their hearts for what the Emigrants were given”—that is, they do not envy the Emigrants for what Allah granted them of His bounty or for the virtues and merits He bestowed particularly upon them, of which they were worthy. This indicates the purity of the Helpers’ hearts and their freedom from rancor, malice, and envy.
It also indicates that the Emigrants are superior to the Helpers, for Allah mentioned them first and stated that the Helpers found no desire in their hearts for what the Emigrants had been given. This shows that Allah the Exalted granted the Emigrants what He did not grant the Helpers or anyone else, and also that they combined support for the religion with emigration.
His words, “They give others preference over themselves even though they are in dire need,” mean that among the qualities by which the Helpers surpassed and distinguished themselves from others was selflessness—the most perfect form of generosity. It means giving others preference regarding wealth and other things one loves, and offering these to others despite one’s own need for them, or even despite necessity and severe deprivation. This can arise only from a pure character and from love of Allah the Exalted that takes precedence over love of the soul’s desires and pleasures.
An example is the account of the man from the Helpers concerning whom the verse was revealed: he gave his guest preference over himself by offering him the food intended for himself, his wife, and his children, and they spent the night hungry. Selflessness is the opposite of selfishness. Selflessness is praiseworthy, whereas selfishness is blameworthy because it is a trait of miserliness and avarice. Whoever is granted selflessness has been protected from the avarice of his own soul: “Whoever is protected from the avarice of his own soul—it is they who are successful.”
Being protected from the avarice of one’s soul encompasses protection from avarice concerning everything one has been commanded to do. When a servant is protected from his soul’s avarice, his soul readily complies with the commands of Allah and His Messenger, and he carries them out willingly and submissively, with an open heart. His soul also willingly abandons what Allah has forbidden, even when it loves and desires it and yearns for it. Likewise, his soul willingly spends wealth in Allah’s cause and in pursuit of His pleasure. Through this, success and triumph are attained.
This is unlike one who has not been protected from his soul’s avarice but has instead been afflicted with withholding what is good, which is the root and substance of evil. These two (6) virtuous and pure groups are the noble Companions and illustrious leaders. They attained such precedence, virtues, and merits that they surpassed those who came after them and caught up with those who came before them. They thus became the foremost believers, the masters of the Muslims, and the leaders of the God-fearing (7).